I promise, this is not just another tease! We were so close to releasing the book to the general public at the beginning of April, then found out we could donate the proceeds to Madre after all, which meant a bit more administration work before the book could be set free to fly into your hands.

A lot of love, a lot of work, and a lot of lovely ladies make this book a true slice of awesome!

in her own imageNow Playing: the pixies - trompe le mondeTopic: photography books

About a month ago I took over the task of designing In Her Own Image, the second collection of self-portraiture from the Female Self-Portrait Artists' Support Group. Miss Aniela, who had originally been intending to design the book in InDesign, had found her career taking off in a big way and realised she just didn't have the time needed to devote to putting the book together and all that entails, so I somewhat foolhardily agreed to pick up where she'd left off.

After countless hours spent downloading, prepping and importing photos; arranging image combinations and formatting within Blurb's Booksmart software with the assistance and suggestions of many of the book's design team; adding image and artist credits and contributor details; and then proofing it all with the assistance of a couple of lovely ladies from the design team; I finally uploaded the book to Blurb about midnight last night and ordered a softcover copy for proofing.

The book is now expected to be available to the public in early April and features the work of 87 female self-portrait artists in a beautiful 316 page edition.

she took her own pictureNow Playing: tegan & sara - this business of artTopic: photography books

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFriday 12th September 2008

Contact: Bronwen HydeEmail: propaganda@bronwenhyde.com

**Press Release**

She Took Her Own Picture --- 44 female artists from across the world have come together online to self-publish a collection of photographic self portraits---

The group of women, most whom have never met each other, have collaborated through a photo-sharing website where they share their work online, to produce a book of their self-portraits.

She Took Her Own Picture: Selections from the Female Self Portrait Artists' Support Group will be available this Friday, 12th September 2008. The unique venture comes as a first for women's photographic self-portraiture today.

Self-publishing the book through Blurb.com, the artists hope the book will serve as a prototype to target suitable art publishers and make the book available on a wider basis, with the aim of donating a percentage of the profits to women's causes.

The participants, both amateurs and professionals, range in age and origin and hail from North and Latin America, the UK and Ireland, Australia, the Caribbean, Oceania, and all over Europe. These 44 women however, are only a small percentage of over 1000 female self-portrait artists who congregate in the Female Self Portrait Artists' Support Group, a group on Flickr started by Laurel Fiszer from Ireland, where the idea for a book of work first began. The group was set up to provide a "collective of women photographers who strengthen their friendship by sharing inspired, artistic, and well-executed photographs".

"Laurel's primary goal," says Natalie J. McCarthy, writer of the introduction to the book, "was to create a place online where female photographers could share self-portraits and receive constructive criticism in a supportive, encouraging, and non-judgmental environment.

"She noticed that female self-portrait photographers were often seen as narcissistic princesses who had to defend their work against an onslaught of criticism — most of which was not directed toward the photograph's technical merits."

The group argues that the female self-portrait has proved to offer women artists a powerful opportunity: the chance to categorically refute antiquated notions of the woman's role as an art object, and to create a new, empowered vision of the female model. She Took Her Own Picture, whilst constructed upon this feminist foundation, also presents a collection of first-rate photography.

"At the end of the day", says McCarthy, "they bring you into their circle of friends and share their art with you".

Including over 100 images from my 366 Days project completed between 17 April 2007 and 16 April 2008, it will be available in softcover, hardcover with dust jacket and hardcover image wrap around the 1st of July.

**I also ordered a copy of Katie West's Low Self-Esteem, and you should too...